I'll Never Let You Go
by quackquackrubberduck
Summary: A fan fiction about a new maid at Downton
1. Chapter 1

_Sorry I can't keep one fan fic going but its hard you know, when ideas keep popping out at me its hard not to resist the urge to write! Anyway this fan fic is about a new maid called Harriet, who comes to Downton, during series 4 just after Lord Grantham goes off to America. Anyway ENJOY!_

The rain was coming fast now, slamming itself against the windows. If he wasn't so busy, Jimmy could of just sat there watching it fall. He was snowed under with work after Barrow's departure and he wasn't happy about it. Just as he was going to sit down for a minute, the back door knocked. Well it didn't knock itself but someone obviously knocked it. For a minute he waited to see if anyone would answer.

Getting tired of the constant banging, he went down to the door, looking quite angry and swung the door open. However, when he opened it he was not angry anymore. At the door stood the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Smoky eyes a misty green, pale skin, but not to pale. Her hair was a golden colour, but the raindrops looked so mystical on her head, like a glittering cobweb in the summer sun.

After his thoughts about how beautiful this woman was, the second question in his head was why she was not wearing a hat? Not why she was here, or indeed why she was staring at him curiously, why she was not wearing a hat. Consequently because of the man he was, his second thought was his first question.

"Why are you not wearing a hat?" he asked her rather quickly.

She smiled, (making him feel like fainting.)

"Blew of in the wind and fell into a puddle," she said, "never mind ai, a little rain never hurt nobody."

He opened his lips, but no words came out. _God Jimmy_, he thought to himself _you've never been tongue tied around a girl before. _All thoughts of Ivy vanished from his mind, replaced by this fresh beauty.

"Are you alright?" she laughed, "anyway I'm Harriet Stevens, new housemaid. Are you going to let me in or should I drown in the rain?"

"Jimmy Kent," he said bashfully, taking her leather case and helping her indoors, "first footman."

Her voice was beautiful, husky and…

"Jimmy!" Mrs Hughes called, "who is this?"

"Err, new housemaid Mrs Hughes, Harriet Stevens her name is," he said snapping out of his trance.

Mrs Hughes smiled at the young girl and then looked at her wet hair frowning.

"My hat blew off in the wind," Harriet explained.

Nodding, Mrs Hughes looked at Jimmy who was dreamily gazing at Harriet and sighed, at his puppy dog eyes.

"I am Mrs Hughes, Miss Stevens," she introduced, "Housekeeper at Downton, I'll expect you to be ready for work this evening."

"That's what I'm here for Mrs Hughes," Harriet laughed.

"Well, I'm a bit busy at the moment, but I could ask Anna to show you your room. Anna is Lady Mary's ladies maid."

Harriet nodded confused. Who was lady Mary?

"Jimmy could you stop loitering and go find Anna?" Mrs Hughes laughed.

"I could show Miss Stevens to her room, Mrs Hughes," he suggested.

Mrs Hughes laughed rather sarcastically.

"I should think not Jimmy," she sighed, "have you forgotten the rules recently?"

Just as Jimmy was about to leave, Anna came across them asking Mrs Hughes where this girl called Maude was.

"Ah Anna if you could spare a moment to show the new housemaid Miss Stevens to her room."

"Of course Mrs Hughes."

Harriet looked at Anna. She seemed kind to Harriet, but she couldn't help noticing a massive bruise on the side of Anna's face.

"I'm Anna Bates," she smiled.

"Harriet Stevens."

Jimmy was still looking intensely at Harriet.

"Are you alright Jimmy?" Harriet asked.

"Quite," he yelped, it was the first time she had spoke to him in front of others.

Harriet grinned at him shaking her head.

"I'll see you around then."

With that she picked up her staircase and followed Anna up to the attics. Mrs Hughes, looked at Jimmy and also shook her head.

"Be careful Jimmy," she warned, "Miss Stevens doesn't look the type to risk her job for a boy. Don't try anything with her or you'll end up with a broken heart again."

Mrs Hughes and issued that warning to many and it never worked, look at Mr Branson. Jimmy wasn't going to give up on this Harriet. She was beautiful, the most beautiful he had ever seen and he would make her like him no matter what.


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank you for reading the first part of this story, I hope you enjoy the second Chapter._

"When do you have your next half day?" Jimmy asked as he followed Harriet across the servants quarters.

"Why should I tell you?" she laughed, not looking at him.

"Well maybe you would like to spend your half day with me?"

Harriet sighed. Ever since she had been at Downton, she followed around by the constant puppy that was Jimmy. I mean you can't hate a man for hoping, but she was hoping that he would of got the message by now.

"Jimmy," Harriet said stopping, "you're a nice man and all but really I'm not at Downton to flirt, I'm here to work, to better myself."

With that she walked off, leaving Jimmy standing alone, all his hopes still whirring around in his mind, but the feeling of disappointment. If only she knew the effect she had on him.

"Jimmy," Mr Carson boomed, "can you give me a reason you are standing there?"

"No, Mr Carson," Jimmy sighed walking off.

Mrs Hughes knocked on Mr Carson's door.

"Yes Mrs Hughes," he smiled, glad to see her.

"Is Jimmy quite alright?" she asked closing the door behind her.

"Why wouldn't he be?"

"He just seems in a daze. I know he took quite a shine Harriet, but she hasn't taken a shine to him."

Mr Carson frowned, as if he did not know the purpose of love.

"Why should that make him go in a daze?" he asked.

"Well when you have your heart broken," Mrs Hughes sighed, "she is a good girl Harriet, grounded to her work, won't be distracted and I think that's what Jimmy likes about her. But she will never like him like he likes her."

They both sighed. What to do was a mystery to them.

"Anyway should we go into the servants hall now?" Mrs Hughes suggested, "see how dinner pans up for the heartbreaker and Jimmy?"

At the dinner table, Jimmy placed himself next to Harriet.

"I won't give up you know," he smiled.

"Your fighting a battle you'll lose," she sighed.

"Then I'll keep fighting until I win it.

She looked up and smiled at him. _Oh god _he thought _I love it when she smiles._ He really couldn't explain the feeling inside of him. He had never liked a girl like this before. He felt Mr Carson's eyes burning on him.

"OK then if we can't be lovers," he whispered, "we could at least be friends."

"We are friends," she sighed, "its not that I don't like you Jimmy, but I have a complicated life and this job is the answer I can't lose it."

Jimmy frowned. A complicated life? He thought that she was all beauty, charm and wit, complications? He needed to know. In a subtle way. He would wait until they were half way through dinner. Every day his fascination grew for Harriet.

Ivy came sauntering in with the dinner, her face creased in a frown, her mind obviously pre-occupied. When she came to serve Jimmy his dinner she slammed the plate in front of him, making Harriet's eyes open with surprise.

"If you have any sense Harriet you won't stick with Jimmy for long," she sighed giving him a nasty look.

"Thanks Ivy," Harriet smiled looking quite worried.

Once she was gone, Harriet leaned close to Jimmy , making him hope.

"What's wrong with her?" she whispered.

"She hates me," Jimmy sighed hanging his head.

To his surprise, Harriet burst out laughing.

"What?" Jimmy wondered.

"Anyone would of thought you would of killed her puppy. Honestly, you fall out over the most trivial things. What did you do? Make an indecent move at her?"

Jimmy smiled as if to say yes.

"That doesn't surprise me," Harriet sighed, "you people all carry grudges, you should mend them while you can. You never know what might happen?"

This made Jimmy think, of what could be Harriet's complicated past. Did she part with someone on bad times.

"You seem very knowledgeable," Jimmy said.

"Yes," Harriet sighed realising she had said to much, "Miss Baxter I'd love to have a go at your sewing machine. In my old job the ladies maid had one, but she never let me use it."

"Well when you have some spare time I'll show you how to use it are you hoping to be a ladies maid, Harriet?"

"I'm hoping to be the best I can," Harriet explained, "I want a career."

Once the servants dinner was over, Harriet left as soon as possible, Jimmy quick on her heels. To quick for Mr Carson to stop him.

"Have you parted with someone you loved on bad terms?" he asked rather stupidly.

"Yes," Harriet said, "and…"

"And?"

She seemed to be lost in thought for a while.

"Harriet!"

"Yes?"

"What more?"

"Nothing."

_That Girl_ Jimmy thought as she walked away.

_We will find out more of Harriet next chapter. Hope you enjoyed._


End file.
